His predictions: The 4-5 inch shoots of grapes were most susceptible to the freeze, and would suffer some damage wherever temperatures dropped below 30 degrees, he said. Most of the tree fruits-- apples, cherries and peaches-- are just coming out of bloom or finished blooming, and would also suffer some damage at temperatures below 29 degrees, Longstroth said. Temperatures would have to hit 25 degrees for severe damage to occur, he said. Strawberries and blueberries, too, could be vulnerable, he said.

His hourly check of weather stations positioned at farms across the area showed temperatures generally ranging from 31 degrees down to 28 degrees, with a few locations dipping into the mid-20s, Longstroth said.

Until the freeze, fruit growers had enjoyed a good early season, with fruit that started out a few weeks behind following a cold spring quickly catching up in May's balmy temperatures and sunshine, Longstroth said. "Now we are only a day or two behind," he said. Pollination weather was good.

This late in the year, last night's freeze "is probably the one and only freeze we will get in Southwest Michigan, and it doesn’t look like the damage was severe-- though I’m sure there are some growers who got hurt," Longstroth said.

It will be a couple of days before anyone knows for sure, but growers will start this afternoon checking plants for signs of damage, he said.

"I would not be surprised to see some damage to the lower portion of trees, with less at the tree tops," he said.

Every day that goes by is one more closer to the end of May, when freeze threat is typically done, he said.